The present invention relates to liquid drainage systems, and more particularly to catheters.
In the past, urinary or Foley catheters have been proposed for draining urine from a patient's bladder. Such catheters generally comprise an elongated shaft having an inflation lumen and drainage lumen extending through the shaft. The catheters have an inflatable balloon on a distal end portion of the catheter, with the inflation lumen communicating with the balloon. The catheters also have one or more drainage eyes distal the balloon communicating with the drainage lumen. In use, the catheter is passed through the patient's urethra until the balloon is located in the bladder. The balloon is then inflated to retain the catheter in place. During catheterization, urine drains through the drainage eyes and drainage lumen to a drainage tube connected to the catheter and to a drainage bag for collection therein.
Although in widespread use, such catheters are deficient in a number of respects. First, the drainage eyes in the placed catheter are spaced a considerable distance from the bladder neck, and the catheters do not accomplish complete drainage from the bladder. Also, the catheters protrude a considerable distance into the bladder, and cause irritation against the opposite blader wall in the patient's body.